Knitting machine needle device



E. BELLINI KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE DEVICE June 19, 1 956 7 Sheets-Sheet1 Filed Oct. 12, 1951 FIG. 1. FIG: a F1513- FIE: Q- FIE-.5-

June 19, 1956 E. BELLINI 2,750,772

KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE DEVICE Filed Oct. 12, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTOR: Eyene ,BeZZznz BY A7TORNEX June 19, 1956 E. BELLlNl 2,750,772

KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE DEVICE Filed Oct. 12, 1951 I 7 Sheets-Sheet s YFl E: 1D. I 1

1 i I 1 5 L i f Z I Z INVENTOR. E eneBeZlini, BY

June 19,1956 E. BELLINI 2,750,772

KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE DEVICE Filed Oct. 12, 1951 7 SheetsSheet 4INVENTOR. Eugene Bellini,

ATTORNEY June 19, 1956 Filed Oct. 12, 1951 E. YBELLINI KNITTING MACHINENEEDLE DEVICE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. 22398116 Bellini, BY

A7TORNEY.

June 19, 1956 E. BELLJNI 2,750,772

KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE DEVICE Filed Oct. 12, 1951 7 Sheets-Sheet 6FIE-.15-

INVENTOR. Ell/gene Bellini, BY

June 19, 1956 BELUN] KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE DEVICE 7 Sheets-Sheet 7Filed 001;. 12, 1951 sozzazfiozaozwzmzmmmm Summon Eugene fieZ znz,

attorneg United States Patent KNITTING MACHINE NEEDLE DEVICE EugeneBellini, Jackson, Ala., assignor to Vanity Fair Mills, Inc., Reading,Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application October 12, 1951, SerialNo. 251,029

Claims. (CI. 66-86) This invention relates to knitting machines ingeneral and more particularly to a novel needle device for suchmachines, novel means for operating such a device, and a new method ofknitting.

In certain knitting machines, such as warp knitting machines and fullfashioned hosiery knitting machines, socalled spring beard needles arecommonly utilized for producing the loop formations of the knittedfabric made by the machine. While such needles have been found toeffectively serve their intended purpose, they nevertheless have certainstructural and functional limitations of a detrimental character. Forexample, the spring beards of such needles are formed as an integralpart of the needles and since these beards are constantly flexed duringoperation of the machine, such flexing eventually causes fatigue of themetal which reduces the operating efliciency of the beards, or causesimperfect formation of the knitted loops, or breaking off of the beards.Then too, the minimum vertical operating movement of such needles isfixed by the length of the beards in relation to the other knittingelements with which the needles cooperate during the knitting cycle.This minimum vertical movement limits the speed at which such needlescan be properly and efliciently operated to produce the desired loopformations of the fabric. Furthermore, such spring beard needles mustnecessarily have a very irregular motion. This is partly due to theheight of movement which must be attained by the needles and thedwelling pause which takes place there until the yarn feed guides passbetween the needles, and is partly due to the fact that the needles mustthereafter again rise to allow the threads to reach a point below thefree ends of the spring beards. This latter motion consumes about 120degrees of the knitting cycle and the irregular movement of the springbeard needles makes it essential that all other cooperating elements ofthe machine carry out a correspondingly irregular movement. 1

One object of my invention is to provide a novel twopart needle devicefor knitting machines, such as warp and full fashioned hosiery knittingmachines, which knitting device overcomes the indicated and otherdetrimental characteristics of the spring beard needles heretoforeutilized in such machines.

Another object is to provide such a knitting needle device having anoperative movement which is smooth and uniform and which enables thecooperating elements of the machine to carry out a correspondinglysmooth and uniform movement.

Another object is to provide such a knitting needle device which hascertain structural and functional features of advantage over the similarknitting needle devices of .the prior art.

. -.A further object is 'to provide such a knitting needle It is also anobject to provide such a knitting needle device of parts that are morerugged, more wear resistant, v 3

and less expensive to produce, than the similar parts of the prior artdevices.

An additional object is to provide such a kntting needle devicecomprising two unique and independently operable parts that are arrangedfor movement relative to each other, both laterally and longitudinally.

It is also an object to provide such a knitting needle device in whichone of the said unique parts comprises a substantially straight elementhaving a beard-like end portion provided with a groove, and the other ofsaid parts comprises a needle element having a hook formation at its endand a groove adjacent thereto for entry by the tip of the beard-likeportion of said first element.

Another object is to provide novel operating means for such a two-partknitting needle device.

Another feature of the invention resides in the new method of knittingcarried out by the novel knitting means of my improvements.

With these and other objects in view, which will become more readilyapparent from the following detailed description of one practical andillustrative embodiment of my improvements shown in the accompanyingdrawings, the invention comprises the novel knitting needle device, theoperating means therefore, elements, features of construction andarrangement of parts in cooperative relationship, as well as the newmethod of knitting, herein disclosed and more particularly defined bythe hereto appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a partial front elevational view of one of the individuallyoperable needle bar segments of the twopart needle device arrangementforming part of my invention.

Fig. 2 is a side sectional view of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical central sectional view showing the two individuallyoperable needle elements of my novel two-part needle device incooperative relationship.

Fig. 4 is an elevational sectional view of Fig. 5 which in turnillustrates a partial front elevational view of a second individuallyoperable needle bar segment of the two-part needle device arrangementforming part of my invention.

Figs. 6 to 12 inclusive are similar partial side elevational views ofcertain loop forming elements of my invention, including the elementsdisclosed in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, and illustrate said loop formingelements in the relative positions which they occupy during the novelknitting cycle and loop forming process of my invention.

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 6 and illustrates by dot-and-dash,lines the various phases of the loop forming cycle carried out by eachof the parts depicted during the movements thereof as shown in Figs. 6to 12.

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13 and illustrates a conventionalprior art spring beard needle and presser edge element arrangement; thisbeing shown for comparative purposes and to make clear the difference invertical movement of one prior art needle in contrast with the needleelement of my invention, as well as certain other differences in themovements of the cooperating loop forming means, as indicated by theschematic knitting cycle diagram depicted by Fig. l4-A.

Fig. 15 is a partial vertical sectional view of a warp knitting machinemechanism embodying my invention.

Fig. 16 is a side elevational view of Fig. 15.

Fig. 17 is an elevational detail sectional view which illustratescertain structural modifications of the parts shown in Figs. 15 and 16,and

Fig. 18 is an elevational detail sectional view of a modifiedconstruction of certain parts shown in Figs. 15 and It will be helpfulto an understanding of my invention to first briefly consider the moreimportant aspects and phases thereof. Accordingly, it is noted that thetwo-part needle device of my invention is adapted for use in variousknitting machines of the general type utilizing so-called spring beardneedles or other devices, that cooperate with usual yarn loop formingmeans, such as yarn guides, sinkers, etc., to form a knitted fabric ofsuccessive courses of loops arranged in interconnected relation, as wellknown in the art of machine knitting.

The two parts, or elements, of said needle device are adapted to beoperated in novel manner by means, and in accordance with a method alsoforming part of my invention.

In the accompanying drawings, my invention is shown in cooperativerelation with certain usual and well-known parts of a warp or tricotknitting machine. However, it will be understood by those skilled inthis art that the practical and illustrative form of my invention thereshown can be applied in substantially the same, or a similar manner, toother knitting machines, so as to impart to the latter the variousbenefits and advantages of my novel improvements in substantially thesame manner. This will become more apparent from the following detaileddescription of one practical and illustrative form of my invention.

Referring first more particularly to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive of thedrawings, my novel two-part needle device comprises two unique elements1 and 2, arranged in multiple or series form on separate supportingmembers or bars 3 and 4 that are individually operable. As shown, theelements 1 and 2 are fixedly mounted in aligned laterally spacedrelationship (see Figs. 1 and in the usual manner of the practicefollowed when mounting spring beard needles or other needle devices. Theelements 1 and 2 may be provided at their mounting ends with butts (notshown) of the usual type provided on spring beard needles to facilitatetheir mounting on the bars 3 and 4. The uniform spacing and assembly ofthe elements 1 and 2 is carried out in accordance with the gauge of thefabric to be knitted and the members 3 and 5 are mounted in suitableoperating supports for united cyclic actuation by novel meanshereinafter described.

The element 1 comprises an elongated slender needlelike stem 1*, thefree or outer end of which is shaped to form a beard that tapers to apoint, or substantially so. The stem ll is provided with a longitudinalgroove 1* that extends rearwardly from said pointed end.

The needle element 2 comprises an elongated slender stem 2 the free orouter end of which is of reduced thickness and formed into a hook 2 Thestem 2 is also provided with a longitudinal groove 2 that extendsrearwardly from the hook 2 Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal sectionalview through the beard element 1 and the needle element 2 andillustrates the manner in which the pointed end of the element 1 extendsinto the groove 2 of the needle element 2, and the hook 2 of the latterextends into the groove 1 of the beard element 1, during a certain phaseof the knitting I cycle of my novel two-part needle device.

Figs. 6 to 12 inclusive, clearly illustrate the cooperating movementscarried out by the elements 1 and 2 during one loop forming operation,or knitting cycle of the machine, the more important positions of theelements 1 and 2 being shown in properly timed relation with other usualloop forming elements, such as yarn guides 5 and sinkers 6, only one ofeach of which is depicted in said figures so as to simplify theillustrations. By referring to Figs. 6 to 12 inclusive, in conjunctionwith Fig. 13, the knitting cycle of the respective elements will becomeclear. In Fig. 13, the successive positions occupied by the respectiveelements are indicated by Roman numerals.

Fig. 6 indicates the first or initial positions occupied by the needledevice elements 1 and 2, the yarn guide 5 and the sinker 6, at thebeginning of a respective knitting cycle in accordance with my novelknitting process, to

effect the addition of a course of new loops to a knitted fabricsection. In Fig. 6, the fabric section is indicated more or lessschematically by the chain of loops F, and a warp yarn Y is shownextending upwardly therefrom on the far side of the sinker 6, throughthe eye of its respective yarn guide 5. It will be understood that theloop forming elements just referred to are duplicated and arranged inlaterally aligned spaced relationship, as usual, to an extent providingone such group of cooperating elements for each loop in the course ofloops of the fabric being knitted by the machine.

Fig. 7 illustrates the positions occupied by the respective loop formingelements at the end of their first movement. It will be noted that thesinker 6 has remained stationary while the beard element 1 and yarnguide 5 have been moved rearwardly and the element 2 has been movedupwardly in a perpendicular line to a position in readiness to receivethe yarn Y for effecting a new loop.

Fig. 8 illustrates the positions occupied by the respective loop formingelements at the end of their second movement. The sinker 6 is in thesame stationary position as before, while the yarn guide 5', after beinglaterally shifted toward the observer so as to bring the yarn Y over thetop edge of the sinker 6 and across the element 2, has been movedforwardly. At the same time, the beard element 1 has been movedforwardly so that the point thereof rests in the slot 2 of the needleelement 2, and the hook 2 of the latter rests in the slot 1 of theelement 1, thus closing the gap beneath the hook.

Fig. 9 illustrates the positions occupied by the respective loop formingelements at the end of their third movement. The beard element 1 andyarn guide 5 have remained stationary while the needle element 2. hasmoved downwardly in a perpendicular line and the sinker 6 has movedrearwardly in a horizontal line, thereby causing the fabric F to rideupwardly in the slot of the sinker and pushing the bight portion of thelast fabric loop L onto the rear outer curved surface of the element 1adjacent to its free or pointed end.

Fig. 10 illustrates the positions occupied by the respective loopforming elements at the end of their fourth movement. The beard element1 and yarn guide 5 have remained stationary while the element 2 hascontinued its downward movement along a perpendicular line until theouter or free ends of the elements 1 and 2 have become separated. At thesame time, the sinker 6 has continued its rearward movement along ahorizontal line. These movements have caused a certain supply of theyarn Y to be drawn downwardly by the hook 2 of the element 2, to therebyeffect enough yarn feed for forming a new loop N of the same length asthe other loops of the fabric F, while the previously formed loop L hascome to rest along the top edge of the sinker 6.

Fig. 11 illustrates the positions of the respective loop formingelements at the end of their fifth movement, during which the needleelement 2 has continued its downward motion along a perpendicular lineand the sinker 6 has moved forwardly to a point where the last course ofknitted loops L is about to enter the slot of the sinker 6.

Fig. 12 illustrates the positions of the respective loop formingelements at the end of their sixth movement, during which the needleelement 2 has continued its downward movement along a perpendicular lineso as to draw the old loop L off the point of the beard element 1 andhas caused the bight portion of the new loop N to embrace the legs ofthe old loop L. At the same time the sinker 6 has continued its forwardmovement so as to effect sinking, or shifting, of the fabric F along therearwardly inclined slot of the sinker 6. At this point the loop formingcycle has been completed and the needle element 2 moves a short distanceto its initial position, that is, substantially to the position shown inFig. 6.

The arrows of Fig. 13 illustrate the direction and extent of themovements carried out by the elements 1 and 2, the yarn guides 5 and thesinkers 6 of the machine, during one knitting cycle. The Roman numeralsindicate the locations of these parts at the end of each successivemovement depicted by Figs. 6 to 12 inclusive. In this connection it isto be noted that the beard element 1 and yarn guide 5 reciprocaterearwardly substantially in unison, and the latter, at a certain pointin its operation, has the usual sidewise motion, first in front of andthen in back of the needle element 2, so as to effect laying of the yarnY about the stem 2 of the latter, preliminary to shifting of the yarn inloop form under the hook 2 The needle element 2 reciprocates in asubstantially perpendicular line and the sinker 6 reciprocates in a horizontal line.

It will be understood that yarn guide 5 and sinker 6 perform their usualand normal functions in this arrangement, but are operated in timedrelation with the elements 1 and 2, so as to carry out successive loopforming operations in the novel manner illustrated in Figs. 6 to 12inclusive and Fig. 13.

Fig. 14 illustrates a conventional spring beard needle S in associationwith the usual and well-known movable presser element P and othercooperating loop forming parts of a warp knitting machine which aresimilar to those previously described, such as a yarn guide 5 and sinker6 The arrow A in Fig. 14 indicates the approximate extent of thevertical movement carried out by such a spring beard needle S during itsknitting cycle, depending upon the machine construction and adjustment.Since the various parts illustrated in Figs. 13 and 14, as well as theextent of their movements are depicted to the same scale, it will benoted that the vertical movement of the spring beard needle S iscomparatively much greater than the similar movement of the needleelement 2 of Fig. 13.

Fig. l4A is a schematic diagram, or curve chart, that furtherillustrates the comparative vertical movements of the spring beardneedle S and the needle element 2, substantially at normal or full scaleand during one knitting cycle. The dotted curve C indicates the verticalmovement of the spring beard needle and the solid line curve C-lindicates the vertical movement of the needle element 2. From this curvechart it will be apparent that the needle element 2 has a smooth anduniform vertical movement, Whereas that of the spring beard needle S isrelatively irregular. Furthermore, that the maximum vertical movement ofthe spring beard needle S is actually about one-quarter inch greaterthan that of the needle element 2 and that this greater movement takesplace during approximately 120 degrees of the knitting cycle, asindicated by the two dot-and-dash lines of the chart. This is, ofcourse, approximate and would vary somewhat depending upon the machineconstruction. Since the cooperating loop forming elements mustnecessarily function in corresponding manner, it will be realized thatthe shorter, vertical movement of the needle element 2 and its smootheruniform cyclic operation, provide a considerable advantage insofar asefiicient high speed machine operation is concerned.

To effect movement of the described loop forming elements of myinvention, the knitting machine is provided with mechanism as indicatedin Figs. to 18 inclusive. Only those parts of a conventional warpknitting machine are there shown which pertain to the operation of theloop forming elements previously described, the other usual parts andmechanisms of the machine being omitted since their construction andoperation is well known.

In Figs. 15 and 16 the usual warp knitting machine parts shown compriseaframe 7, a cam shaft 8 on which are fixedly mounted two similar opposedcams 9 and 10, arranged to operate a rocker arm 11 provided with freelyrotatable cam followers 11 and 11 The arm 11 is secured to a rockershaft 12, the motion of which is transmitted by a connecting rod 13 to ashaft 14, in turn connected by an adjustable linkage 15, to a shaft 16.

Depending from the shaft 16 are arms 17 (only one being shown) to thelower ends of which are connected the supporting bar 3 for the beardelements 1.

Depending from the shaft 14 are arms 18 (only one being shown) to thelower ends of which are connected a supporting bar 19 for the yarnfeeding or guiding elements 5.

Fixedly secured to the shaft 12 are arms 21 (only one being shown) tothe outer ends of which are connected the supporting bar 4 for theneedle elements 2.

The sinkers 6 are secured, as usual, to a bar 22 carried by arms 23fixedly secured to a rocker shaft 24 that is operated by the cam shaft 8in usual manner by cam means, not shown.

Fig. 17 shows a modification of the means for operating the beardelements 1. Certain of the parts shown in Fig. 17 are similar to thoseshown in Fig. 16 and'are consequently identified by correspondingreference characters. The arrangement of Fig. 17 diifers from that shownin Fig. 16 in that a lever 25 is secured to the shaft 14, to one end ofwhich is connected the rod 13 and the lower end of which lever 25carries the supporting bar 3 for the elements 1.

Fig. 18 shows a further modification of the means for operating the yarnguides 5 and beard elements 1. In this instance, both the yarn guides 5and the beard elements 1 are jointly carried by an arm 26 fixed to theshaft 14, which latter is operated by the means shown in Fig. 16.

Of course, the improvements specifically shown and described can bechanged and modified in various ways without departing from theinvention herein disclosed and more particularly defined by the heretoappended claims.

I claim:

1. A knitting machine yarn loop forming mechanism comprising incombination with yarn feeding means and sinker means, of two separateelongated complementary elements one of which includes a rigid hook endportion and the other an end portion for closing and opening said hookportion and which elements are adapted to form yarn loops in successiveinterconnected order with said yarn feeding means and sinker means byindependent lateral movement only of the element having the hook closingand opening end portion relative to the element having the hook endportion and by independent longitudinal movement of the element havingthe hook end portion, and means effecting said independent movements ofthe elements relative to each other.

2. A knitting machine yarn loop forming mechanism comprising, yarnfeeding means, sinker means, and two separate elongated complementaryelements one of which includes a rigid hook end portion and the other anend portion for closing and opening said hook portion and which elementsare adapted to form yarn loops in successive interconnected order withsaid yarn feeding means and sinker means by independent lateral movementonly of one of said elements relative to the other so as to effect hookclosing and opening cooperation and by independent axial movement of theother of said elements, and means for etfecting said independentmovement of the elements relative to each other.

3. A knitting machine yarn loop forming mechanism comprising, yarnfeeding means, sinker means, and two separate elongated complementaryelements one of which includes a rigid hook end portion and the other anend portion for closing and opening said hook portion and which elementsare adapted to form loops in successive interconnected order with saidyarn feeding means and sinker means by independent movement of saidelements relative to each other including lateral swinging movement onlyof one of said elements to elfect closing and opening of said hook endportion, and means for effecting said swinging movement toward and fromthe other of said elements.

arrows 4. A knitting machine yarn loop forming mechanism comprising, atwo-part needle device which consists of two independently movableelongated loop forming ele ments, one of which elements has a hook atone end thereof and the other of which elements has a pointed endportion provided with an elongated lengthwise extending groove, andmeans eflecting independent lateral movement only of said pointedelement relative to said other element during the loop forming operationof the mechanism.

5. A knitting machine yarn loop forming mechanism comprising, a two-partneedle device which consists of two independently movable elongated loopforming elements, one of which elements has a hook at one end thereofand the other of which elements has a pointed end portion provided withan elongated lengthwise extending groove, and means for imparting alateral swinging movement only to said latter element during the loopforming operation of the mechanism.

6. A knitting machine yarn loop forming mechanism comprising, a two-partneedle device which consists of two independently movable elongated loopforming elemerits jointly operative to form yarn loops in successive c 9means for imparting a vertical reciprocatmg movement to the other ofsaid elements.

7. A knitting machine yarn loop forming mechanism comprising, a needleelement having a hook portion at one end thereof and a longitudinalgroove adjacent the latter, a beard element having a hook portionclosing and opening point at one end thereof and a longitudinal grooveadjacent the latter, and means arranged to impart relative movement tosaid elements in such manner that one of said elements will move onlylaterally and the other longitudinally.

8. A knitting machine yarn loop forming mechanism comprising, a needleelement having a hook portion at one end thereof and a longitudinalgroove adjacent the latter, a beard element having a hook closing andopening point at one end thereof and a longitudinal groove adjacent thelatter, and means arranged to elfect lateral arcuate movement only ofsaid beard element during the loop forming operation of the mechanism.

9. A knitting machine yarn loop forming mechanism comprising, a needleelement having a hook portion at one end thereof and a longitudinalgroove adjacent the latter, a beard element having a hook closing andopening point at one end thereof and a longitudinal groove adjacent thelatter, means arranged to effect lateral reciprocating movement only ofone of said elements, and means arranged to effect verticalreciprocating movement of the other of said elements.

10. in combination with a knitting machine having sinker-s and yarn feedmeans; of a two-part needle device comprising, an element having a stemprovided with a hook portion at one end thereof which terminates in asubstantially straight tip portion and a longitudinal groove arranged inadjacent substantially axially aligned relation with the latter, anelement having a substantially straight pointed stem portion providedwith a longitudinal groove; and means for imparting lateral movementonly to one of said elements and longitudinal movement to the other ofsaid elements in properly timed relation with the sinkers and yarn feedmeans to effect the production or knitted loops in successiveinterconnected order.

647,881 Scott et a1 Apr. 17, 1900 1,198,275 Rick et a1. Sept. 12, 19161,391,033 Wilcomb Sept. 20, 1921 1,498,706 Wilcomb June 24, 19241,662,281 Scott Mar. 13, 1928 1,666,784 lsarkin Apr. 17, 1928 2,238,192Start et al Apr. 15, 1941 2,312,903 lirt ct al. Mar. 2, 1943 2,331,528West Oct. 12, 1943 2,428,405 Young Oct, 7, 1947 2,436,371 Arnidon Feb.24, 1948 2,508,209 Amidon May 16, 1950 2,519,875 Berger et al. Aug. 22,1950 2,522,335 Amidon Sept. 12, 1.950 2,560,872 Jutglar Pares et a1.July 17, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 10,716 Great Britain of 1845 36,342Germany July 21, 1886 395,837 Germany May 19, 1924

